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About Clark

Headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, Clark Material Handling Company is a well-known manufacturer of forklifts used in manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, shipping and receiving, and other settings. The company has been a subsidiary of the Young An Hat Company of Korea since 2003. Clark claims there are more than 250,000 Clark lift trucks active in North America and over 350,000 worldwide as of 2023.

As of this writing, Clark produces five main product lines: internal-combustion (IC) forklifts with pneumatic tires, IC cushion tire forklifts, electric forklifts, narrow-aisle stand-up and reach forklifts, order pickers, and pallet jacks and pallet stackers. Clark’s electric machines include 3- and 4-wheel seated forklifts with pneumatic and cushion tires, counterbalanced stand-up forklifts with cushion tires, and 3-wheel tow tractors.

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Clark GTS25L Pneumatic-Tire Forklift

Clark Through The Years

Before its move to Kentucky in 2005, Clark operated for decades in Buchanan, Michigan, where it was founded in 1917. That’s where Clark created the Tructractor, the world’s first internal-combustion industrial truck. Initially, the Tructractor transported materials between company departments, but the machine’s popularity with company visitors led Clark to launch the Clark Tructractor Company in 1919, from which Clark Material Handling descends.

Over the years, Clark has contributed numerous innovations pivotal to the lift equipment industry. The manufacturer introduced the Truclift in 1922, calling it “the world’s first internal-combustion lift truck that used hydraulics, not mechanical gears and linkage, to lift a load.” Two years later, Clark outfitted an optional tiering attachment to its Duat tow tractor, creating the world’s first IC forklift truck.

In 1927, Clark released the Clarktor tow tractor, the first industrial truck or tractor to include an electric self-starter as standard equipment. A year later, the Tructier became the world’s first IC forklift to use hydraulics instead of chains and cables to lift a load. Clark introduced the TW15/20 in 1967 as the first electric 3-wheel lift truck in the U.S. and, in 1991, it became the first lift truck maker to offer a factory-installed compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel option. In 1997, the company marked a major milestone: the production of its 1-millionth forklift.

The Forklift Lineup

Clark IC pneumatic-tire and IC cushion forklifts include the C, CGC, GTS, and S model series that range in lift capacity from 3,000 to 18,000 pounds (1,360 to 8,164 kilograms). Pneumatic-tire lifts are available in LPG, diesel, and dual-fuel power options, while IC cushion tire models come in LPG and dual-fuel options.

Clark electric forklifts include GEX, SE, and SEC series and a 3-wheel TWLi20 model, with lift capacities ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 lbs (4,536 kg). The TWLi220 has a 48-volt lithium-ion battery, dual-joystick controls, and a slim profile and tight turn radius well-suited for indoor and narrow-aisle tasks.

GEX variants accommodate 54-, 60-, or 72-kilowatt-hour batteries and can tackle outdoor tasks and indoor warehousing applications. SE-series models provide 36- and 48-volt options and are ideal for working in manufacturing, warehousing, bottling, and shipping and receiving facilities. SEC-series variants have the same voltage options and provide three selectable performance modes and a turtle mode for customizing performance to a given application.

Clark forklifts variously include features like an interactive digital dash display, advanced ergonomics, a fully welded heavy-gauge frame, a nested I-beam mast, and easy-to-service components. These refinements provide a wealth of benefits, including improved operator comfort and safety, greater stability, and a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

Find Clark Equipment

MachineryTrader.com hosts hundreds of listings for new and used Clark equipment for sale, including pneumatic-tire forklifts, cushion tire forklifts, stand-up and reach forklifts, order pickers, and more. Popular models include C25, C30, C40, and C500 forklifts.